


The Snake and The Moon

by Vofastudum



Series: Steps to Safety [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Could Be Canon, F/M, Hogwarts Seventh Year
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-17
Updated: 2018-04-17
Packaged: 2019-04-24 05:24:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14348832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vofastudum/pseuds/Vofastudum
Summary: "Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life. Tip toe if you must, but take the step!" One-shots set during HBP and DH, could be canon-ish, ignores the epilogue though.





	The Snake and The Moon

**Author's Note:**

> The timeline loosely follows cannon but I'm not extremely specific. So don't mind if cannon events won't happen exactly like in the books.

**ONE**

The buzz of the station, the familiar whistle of the train and then they were on the way back. He stared out of the window to the platform, where parents with worried faces, tried to get the last glimpse of their children, before they were gone for another year. Six times… Six times he had done this before, but this was different. They were going back yes, but the place would be darker, divided and more dangerous than ever. He knew that he had much less to fear then most of the others…He glanced at his friend sitting on the bench opposite to him…Green tie and a well-known last name were the best assets you could have at Hogwarts right now. Ironic, how names, Zabini and Nott, despised by the community not so long ago, would be the names to keep them safe now.

"How bad do you think it will be?" Theo asked, still staring out of the window.

"Bad…"

"I suppose so…with Carrows and Snape...Do you think they'll pressure us for the mark?"

He shrugged "I think they'll test us…make us use unforgivables…"

The two of them had practiced in secret during the summer to cast the worst hexes and curses with less effect to the opponent, but the worse were still bad. You couldn't cast a mild Avada no matter how you tried, it was either kill or not, no middle ground.

"Do you think Draco's coming?"

He shook his head "No, he is in too deep already..."

Suddenly they were disturbed by someone opening the compartment door.

She stepped in and sat right down without asking permission.

They stared at her… Like seeing her for the first time…Luna Lovegood with her dirty blond hair, petite form and big blue eyes, sat in their compartment head held high and determination on her face…And then she smiled.

"Hi, I'm Luna."

"We know who you are! Why are you here?" Theo was quick to answer before Blaise could even find his voice.

"As you know the Hogwarts we are going back is a dark place. It's torture and terror waiting for us there."

"Not all of us…" Theo shrugged

"Yes, that's why I came to talk to you"

"Why?" He asked quickly before Theo could once again cut in…

"The DA" She started. Theo snorted loudly

"Shut up Theo and let her talk!"

She glanced him with her dreamy eyes, that held no emotion he could recognize.

"We have to make sure the minors are hurt as little as possible. Their parents have sent them to school because it is still the safest place to be. It is brutal, immoral and wrong to hurt little children…We are planning to fight." she spoke honestly and direct, no double meanings or tip toing around the subject, he already admired her for her attitude...

"We need to know where the Slytherins stand in this. So, I volunteered to come talk to you." She looked him straight in the eyes and then to Theo. "Are you Death Eaters?"

He couldn't believe this girl... they had never exchanged two civil words with her and now she had the guts to face them and ask if they supported the dark lord. He looked at Theo who rose an eyebrow.

"What if we are?" Theo asked her.

"We'll see…" She said almost happily and stared at the ceiling.

"No, we are not." Blaise said quickly and even flipped his sleeves up to prove his words. "And I agree on hurting children…it's wrong."

She turned her eyes to him and smiled. Her smile, like her words, was honest and sincere.

Theo followed his example and flipped his sleeves up. "My father, he's with the dark, so I will be expected to follow, but he wanted me to finish school before..."

"You don't have to do that just to prove yourself worthy." She stated quietly, like talking to herself and Theo turned to stare at her.

Now, that she seemed to be convinced they weren't with the dark side, she spoke silently and quickly "So, I hope we can trust you to protect the younger kids with us. No one must know we've talked! Better not let them know we can co-operate. Carrows and especially Snape trust Slytherins, keep it up. If you want to practice defense, inform the DA. Me or Neville or Ginny…"

They nodded and before anyone had time to ask any questions she rose, "Good, then it's settled. See you later" And just like that she was gone.

He stared after her so long Theo had to punch him to get him pay attention.

 

 

**TWO**

It was just as bad as they imagined. Slytherins were made to patrol the halls and Curcio anyone who even thought of breaking the new rules. His fake Curcio got milder as other students learned to fake to be tortured. But it was only a small comfort, as was being a Slytherin… The DA took the worst beating. Neville Longbottom as their leader now, that Potter wasn't here, got the worst of it. He was asking for it though…always the Gryffindor taking the hit for others.

In the middle of it all, he was fixated on her…Lovegood…Ever since her confrontation on the train, he had been studying her. She was like a fairy, floating on the halls like someone out of this world. Her hair was almost always open, circling her face like a halo, her dreamy blue eyes never really focused on anything specific. But the way she moved, the way she held her head high and her posture straight, radiated calmness and confidence. She might be weird, but proudly so. It fascinated him.

She was mostly alone. Occasionally he saw her talking to Weaslette or Longbottom, but she never really was with them. On the great hall and the library, she always sat alone. He wanted to go and talk to her, to figure her out, to get to know the enigma that she was…but he couldn't

Until one gloomy day on November. He was patrolling the halls when she suddenly appeared from nothing to the hallway ahead of him. His act was faster than his thought. With a few long strides he had caught up with her. He grabbed her roughly and pushed her to the nearest empty classroom.

"What are you doing? Appearing from the Room of Hidden things to the hall like that, after curfew!? What if it was anyone else but me on patrol?"

She took his hand, "Blaise…" He looked from their hands to her face, "I knew you were on patrol tonight."

"How can you possibly know that? Are you trusting on a bloody lucky guess!?" He didn't even know what made him so upset. All he could think of was a vision in his head of someone torturing her over, and over again… "What if I was a death eater!?"

"You told me you're not."

"I could have lied!"

"But you didn't"

He stared at her. Her innocent ice blue eyes meeting his. There was a faint bruise on the side of her face and on impulse he lifted his hand to caress her cheek.

"Who hurt you?"

She huffed silently, "Who didn't…Everyone is hurting Blaise."

He took her hands and turned them around. There were marks everywhere. Scars circling her wrists like someone had slashed her with a whip. And on her right arm, carved to her flesh by a blood quill: I MUST OBAY MY SUPERIORS.

She studied him with sadness in her eyes.

He shook his head "You shouldn't be…"

And then he kissed her…softly and questioning. She didn't push him away but matched him perfectly.

As bold and unapologetic as her appearance, was her kiss.

His hand tangled into her fair hair and the other on the small of her back pulling her closer. When their kiss ended she buried her head on his chest. He inhaled the scent of her… Lemonade and fresh mint.

They stood there like that for a long time, arms around each other.

"You make me feel safe." She murmured against him.

He would live up to that, even if it was the last thing he'd do.

 

 

**THREE**

He ran…across the halls, up the staircases. His eyes were watering, and he was not sure if it was because of the speed or if they were tears. His lungs were on fire, but he couldn't stop, not until he reached the stone statues leading to headmaster's office.

"PROFESSOR SNAPE!" He was yelling on the top of his lungs. Never had he felt so lost, so powerless, so helpless, "Professor, Please!"

The stone monster stepped aside, and he sprinted to the office. Professor Snape stood there, his back to the door when he entered.

"Why such a hurry Zabini?" Headmaster asked with his usual indifferent tone.

"It's Lovegood sir, she was not in the train, not on the feast, she is not answering my owls…"

Snape turned to face him, "And tell me, , why would you send miss Lovegood owls?"

He opened his mouth, but Snape was already in his head.

Memories started to flash in his mind:

Her in their compartment on the train the first day.

Her flowing hair as she walked the corridors.

Her eyes just before he kissed her in that classroom on November.

Her delicate hand holding his.

Her kissing him beside the black lake as the snow fell.

Snowflakes on her lashes.

"Don't be silly Blaise, It's fun!" She glided across the ice laughing, with skates on her feet, taking his hand and pulling him with her.

Them laughing together.

Them lying beside each other on the floor of room of requirement, on Christmas morning, listening the voices from the corridor. Luna had wanted him to 'listen to the castle'.

The fireworks reflecting on her eyes on New Years Eve.

Him unzipping her bright red dress…

"NO!" He snapped out of it, "You're not watching that!" He threw Snape out of his mind.

Neither said a word…The headmaster was studying him with unreadable look on his face.

"You know Zabini, it's dangerous to get attached to anyone in times of war."

"I need to know that she is safe!" He pleaded.

He felt lost. He had promised to keep her safe! She had gone home for a few days and now she was nowhere. Why didn't he go with her? Why didn't he demand her to stay?  
…Because no one demanded anything from Luna Lovegood. She was headstrong, silencing him just with one look. It was the power of her, she didn't need to argue.  
Still…if he had followed her this wouldn't be the case. He felt like hitting something.

"And what makes you think I know where she is?" His former head of the house asked.

"You know…" He muttered, eyes on the ground.

"Now listen Zabini: The safest thing for you to do, is to go back to your common room, forget about her and carry on like nothing happened. "

He snapped his eyes back, "What?"

"A man is always as strong as his worst weakness. And if your weakness is a girl of the light, you should shut your mouth about her! You don't tell this to anyone. You don't parade around looking for her like a Gryffindor! It will only make it worse, for you and for her! Harry Potter cares about her enough to make her just enough of an important prisoner"

"A prisoner!?"

"I think it's time for you to leave Mr. Zabini."

"No! Wait!" but he was already being pushed out and tossed to the corridor.

Like a ghost he went back to the Slytherin common rooms and into the dorm. Tossing himself to the bed and staring at the ceiling.

The only light in this darkness was gone and he could do nothing.

He closed his eyes and she was there with him. Smiling with her dreamy smile.

"Light always follows the darkness." She whispered.

Her scent floated around his mind and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop the tears.

 

 

**FOUR**

Hollow… He felt like a shell with nothing inside. He sat on the classes and on the common room, pretending to listen what others were saying, but hearing nothing. Theo kept giving him questioning looks, but didn't ask anything, and it went on…and on… day after day.

Until he couldn't take it anymore.

"Longbottom!" He reached the Gryffindor on the corridor.

Neville looked surprised to see him, "What is it?" He asked with a tight voice.

Blaise noticed the boy looked like shit. His lip was split and anywhere you could see bare skin, there were bruises and cuts.

"You don't look so good bro." Came out of his mouth

"That's what you came to tell me?! I can't believe you Slytherins!"

He raised his hands "No! I'm sorry Longbottom! That was not what I intended to say!"

"Then what?" This boy used to be a looser and now he was like born a leader. War does that, he mused…

"It's Lovegood" Blaise looked around and lowered his voice, "I haven't seen her since she went home after new year's. Do you know about her?"

Neville looked him weird, "What is she to you?"

EVERYTHING! He wanted to yell but forced himself to remain calm. "On the beginning of the term, she came to us on the train and offered co-operation on protecting the kids…"

Neville looked around, "It's not safe to talk here, come on!"

He followed the boy to the room of requirement. When they got in he saw bunch of other kids. The DA members he reckoned when Weaslette stood up.

"What is he doing here?"

"Calm down Ginny, I'll just talk to him for a second." Neville turned back to him talking quietly.

"Luna was kidnapped by the Death Eaters."

"WHAT!?" Kidnapped!? He felt like the walls closing in on him. Powerless he sat on the nearest chair, "why?"

Was it because of him? Wouldn't he have heard something if that was the case?

"To blackmail her father." Neville explained, "She was kept in the Malfoy Manor."

He buried his face to his hands. Oh god…

"She is safe now!"

He bolted up, "What!? How? Where is she?"

Neville gave him another questioning look, "Listen Zabini, maybe you should first tell me why you care so much about what happened to Luna? I wasn't aware you knew her?"

"Just please Longbottom, tell me where she is? is she ok?" He didn't really have time to explain now!

"I think She's at Mungo's…Hey!"

But he had already bolted out of the room.

She had been kidnapped! By Death Eaters and held in fucking Draco's home! And he had been sitting idly here doing nothing! And now she was in Mungo's! What had they done to her? He felt a coldness squeezing his chest just thinking of all the horrors she might have gone through.

He rushed to the dungeons and knocked on their heads door. "Professor Slughorn! It's an emergency!"

The professor opened the door, "Zabini! Come in dear boy. What is the matter?"

"Sir, I need to get to St. Mungo's! It's urgent!"

"Are you hurt? Shouldn't you go to the hospital wing first?" Professor looked at him worried.

"No, it's not me! Someone important to me is there!"

"Who?"

He paused. Should he lie? or should he just tell the truth? Snape's words suddenly rang in his head: Don't go parading around looking for her…

"My mother, sir. She…It's something with her heart. "

"Oh, dear boy. I'm sorry. Let's see." He turned to his fireplace and handed him fistful of floo powder. "Go, but don't be for too long. And give your mother my condolences…"

Blaise was gone before he could finish the sentence

St. Mungo's white halls and sterile smell greeted him when he stepped out of the floo and rushed to the counter.

"Luna Lovegood? Is she here?"

"Are you a relative?" The lady behind the counter asked, looking at her papers.

"No, I'm her…" What should he say? boyfriend? they never defined… "Friend."

The lady looked at him and lifted her eyebrows, "I see…" and went back to the papers.

"It seems she is not here." She said after a while

"But I was informed…"

Shit, where was she? Had they taken her again? She was not here, but she was not at school either. Dead end.

He felt defeated.

So back to school he went and to the Gryffindor tower to search for someone to give him information. He fucking hated this uncertainty.

He finds Neville, who tells him he knows nothing before rushing away.

There's nothing he could do.

Nowhere to look.

He is a snake and therefore not worthy of her…

 

 

**FIVE**

The corridors, the hall, the yard smell like death. But it is finally over. Voldemort is dead, they are free. Blaise and Theo stand back to back on the yard when The Dark Lord falls, ready to defend themselves and the other students against an attack that never comes.

It's over and the side of the light has won.

In the aftermath it is sorrow and joy mixed together. So many have fallen. He and Theo walk in the great hall because they feel they need to. They were Slytherins after all, and that made them feel like they had to prove their side.

The dead lay on the floor in lines. The winners…no…the survivors were gathered to groups, most around their fallen loved ones.

"look" Theo said nodding his head.

On the side of the hall a little apart from the crying Weasley family, stood Harry Potter. The savior, looking nothing but a lost boy wanting to get out.

"Do you think the rest of the trio made it?" Theo was asking but Blaise didn't hear him anymore.

Because there, near the teachers table, where the lines of bodies ended was a girl on her knees, head down. Her blond hair was falling like a curtain on her face.

His wand clattered to the ground as he rushed to her. Desperately he grabbed her and lift her to her feet.

"Luna, are you ok? are you hurt?"

Her lip was bleeding, but she shook her head and gave a sob. Relief washed over him, like rain. She was here, and she was alive. He pulled her to him and inhaled her in as she sobbed against his chest.

"Blaise I'm sorry, i should have written to you. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry... so many died today, and I wasn't sure…" She muttered between her sobs.

"Don't worry about it…It's over…We're here now… You are alive… It will be ok."

He really didn't care. All the days and weeks and months he had worried about her didn't seem to matter anymore. There was going to be more days, more weeks, more months for them. The only thing he cared about was the feel of her in his arms now.

They stood there, her arms around him and his, drawing soothing circles around her back, for a long time. He heard the whispers around them: "Isn't that Loony Lovegood? Who's the boy?" , "Zabini from Slytherin?" "Zabini and Lovegood?", "Look at them!". But they didn't matter either…

Finally, Luna turned to look him in the eyes.

"I think I could use some peace and quiet for a change."

"So, where do you want to go?" He tucked a stray hair behind her ear.

"I'd like to travel the world" She said with her eyes glistering.

"Like now?"

"No, silly! First I'd like a good night's sleep."

"Ok, so I'll take you home." Little disappointed he had to let her go so soon…

"There might be a small problem..." She said thoughtfully, "My home blew up…."

"What? When was that?"

She shrugged "But I think it would be nice to see your room…"

"I'll take you anywhere." He bent down to kiss her.

"To the stars!" She whispered against his lips.

With a loud POP they disapparated.


End file.
